Pharmacist hours

Hello TSR users any feedback I could get on this would be appreciated
I've been looking at doing accountancy at uni but the thing that put me off was the ridiculous hours accountants/bankers etc work so I've started looking at pharmacy instead
Could anyone give me any information on what kind of hours pharmacists (hospital/retail) work?
I've heard they work really long hours but don't work many days, does anyone know if this is true?
For example I've read that some work 12 hour shifts but only 3/4 days a week and even that someone works an 82 hour week but then gets the next week off, works 82 hours the next week and then gets the next one off etc
Like I said I've only just started looking at pharmacy so this is just from quick google searches and could be completely wrong which is why any feedback would be great
Thanks for reading :smile:

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Reply 1

BeckyPanda

You should really do something your passionate about whatever the hours, careers that pay well often have long working hours. It really depends where you work but they do tend to have long hours and retail often 5 days a week.

Reply 2

Genericusername1

OP

Original post by BeckyPanda

You should really do something your passionate about whatever the hours, careers that pay well often have long working hours. It really depends where you work but they do tend to have long hours and retail often 5 days a week.

I'm not really passionate about anything haha, but I appreciate the advice, thanks a lot
And when you say "often" do you mean it would still be possible to get a 3/4 day week as a pharmacist? :smile:

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Reply 3

BeckyPanda

Well then maybe something that you have to spend 5 years doing uni and pre-reg may not be for you as its hard work before you even start fully qualified. Well all the work experience I've done were with pharmacists that would do 5 days a week but yeah locum's do a day here and a day there so maybe that's for you?

Reply 4

Genericusername1

OP

Okay I see what you mean but are there really any career paths that AREN'T hard work?
It's kinda hard choosing a career when you're not passionate about anything so I'm just looking at low stress jobs with reasonably good pay, would you say that describe a pharmacist from your experience? :smile:

(If not could you suggest any jobs that could be described like that?)
Thanks :smile:

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Reply 5

BeckyPanda

Most careers that have good pay, have good pay because they are hard work and require a lot of effort so you may struggle. Pharmacy is certainly not a low stress job as you have far more jobs than the general public can see, so I don't think from personal experience it would be the right career path for you i'm afraid but I don't have another option you could look into

Reply 6

Genericusername1

OP

Okay thanks for the advice becky, I guess it's back to the drawing board!

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Reply 7

JohnnyPharm

Boots are offering newly qualifieds 32 hour contracts which works out at 4 days. Why not become an airline pilot they usually work 4 on 4 off.

Reply 8

Cardiffstudent

Original post by Genericusername1

Okay I see what you mean but are there really any career paths that AREN'T hard work?
It's kinda hard choosing a career when you're not passionate about anything so I'm just looking at low stress jobs with reasonably good pay, would you say that describe a pharmacist from your experience? :smile:

(If not could you suggest any jobs that could be described like that?)
Thanks :smile:

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Pharmacy is a high stress job, (targets, one mistake away from being sued/struck of the register etc.) read some articles on C&D for starters! If your not passionate about it don't do it. There is no longer a "job guarantee" pharmacists have to work longer hours at lower pay and the situation is only going to get worse.
I'm not trying to put you off completely and I do think there are still some great job opportunities in pharmacy, if you really go for it and want to put in a lot of hard work, but more it really doesn't sound like what job image you have in your head.
Possibly have a browse through UCAS and see if anything interests you. NHS careers, http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/ and look at the different routes there for various jobs. Also http://www.prospects.ac.uk/sectors.htm has information on various sectors and the route you need to take to get there.
Honestly if you don't know what is for you I would say take a gap year and get some "real world experience". There is no point committing 3/4 years of your life to a degree if at the end of it you are not interested and want a career change +if you don't like it what is the chance you will do well/that you will enjoy your time at university? Pharmacy is a pretty intense course.

Reply 9

sheepy18

8

The pharmacists I know work 10+ hours a day 5/6 days a week. Though tbh, they are just being greedy on the whole and could live comfortably on a lot fewer hours.

Reply 10

thegodofgod

19

Original post by sheepy18

The pharmacists I know work 10+ hours a day 5/6 days a week. Though tbh, they are just being greedy on the whole and could live comfortably on a lot fewer hours.

From those hours, I would presume that they're pharmacists working in independent pharmacies. I did two weeks' work experience in an independent pharmacy - where the staff consisted of a pharmacist, a dispenser, and a counter assistant - a few weeks ago, and the pharmacist and the dispenser both worked from 09.15 to 19.00 Monday to Friday, and 09.15 to 18.00 on Saturdays (no lunch break per se, they just had their breaks/lunch when there were no customers/patients waiting to be served), which comes to a total of at least 57.5 hours per week. On top of that, they have the Sunday and bank holiday rotas.

Reply 11

sheepy18

8

Original post by thegodofgod

From those hours, I would presume that they're pharmacists working in independent pharmacies. I did two weeks' work experience in an independent pharmacy - where the staff consisted of a pharmacist, a dispenser, and a counter assistant - a few weeks ago, and the pharmacist and the dispenser both worked from 09.15 to 19.00 Monday to Friday, and 09.15 to 18.00 on Saturdays (no lunch break per se, they just had their breaks/lunch when there were no customers/patients waiting to be served), which comes to a total of at least 57.5 hours per week. On top of that, they have the Sunday and bank holiday rotas.